Water-current power system.



C. F. A. RUELL. WATER CURE ZNT POWER SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED MAY 5, 1909.

Patented Apr. 12, 1910. 4

2 SHEBTQ-SHEET 1.

UNITED STATES Specification of 1b all whom "it may concern: "Be'it known that I, Germans I A. Roam, eaizen of the United States, residing at Inep'n dence, in the county of; Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new *ai'lduseful Improvements in ater-Current 'PowerlSystems, of which the following is a f specification.

Myj invention relates to improvements in 1d"water-current power systems, and -it emr'aces'a series of power stationsextending down stream and deriving their source of powerptln'ough a conduit. from a point up st 'ean 'above the initial station. By establsf lishing aseries of stations and supplying f the same from a point up stream through a conduit instead of direct from the strean'i f at apoint on a level with each station, the f ne'ce ssity for digging deep wells to carry oil" 2ojthie tail-water from the power wheels which "I employ is obviatec. as the water in the conduit can be carried above the surface of the'stream atthe stations and thus have "sufficient fall to run said power-wheels, as zswill hereinafter ELPPCFU'. Further advanftagesiare that the supply of water to the 'stations is'constant irrespective of whether the stream is high or low, and navifl' gaticn is not interfered with as the conduit 1 ayjbe either laid along the river-bed or f 1.11pon the bank, and when the latter method is employed, the conduit. may be laid in a 'co'n'iparatively straight line and thus avoid the expense of following the irregular course ofthe river. 4

"Referring now to the accompanying'draw '1 gs, w hich illustrate the invention: Figure "1. shows a plan View of my system arranged beside a stream from which it derives its 4ofJOwer. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line LlIfiIIof Fig. 1. .Fig. 3 is a vertical section I f'ofone of the power stations on line III -III {Fig 4. I I a vertical section on line 1g. is IV of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a vertical secj ion on line VV of Fig. 4. Fig. (3 is a section of another power station. Adesignates the stream, which is flowing fin thedirection of the arrows a. designates a conduit of substantially the same pitch as-the stream, and having an intake 2 at its upper terminal, which is protected by a strainer 3 from the entrance therein. of driftwood, or other debris likely to-ehoke the conduit. In the draw ings I have shown all but the submerged PATENT onnrcas Application filed May 5, 1909.

INDEPENDENCE. 'MIssoU'ItI: POWER SYSTEM.

Lettersfatent Patented Apr-.12, 1910.

$erialNo. 494,185. i 1

intake of theconduit buried in the ground beside the river to avoid following the bends in the latter, into which the conduit discharges at its lower terminal.

' B and C designate two power stations, communicating with the conduit through by-passes 0 and 0, comprising inlet branchpipes land vertical discharge pipes 5. Branch-pipes at conduct the water, which they receive from the conduit, to points above the surface of the stream nearest the power stations, so that sufiicient fall may be had to operate the power-wheels at said stations. In order that part of the water may be taken from the conduit without appreciably retarding its momentum, I arrange the rauclepipes 4 in substantially a horizontal plane and connect their inlet ends to the conduit with Ys (3, thus avoiding abrupt bends. Branch-pipes 4t discharge into pressure-tanks 7, wherein large heads of water are accumulated for driving the powerwheels which I prefer to employ in the form of turbines 8, located in wells or chambers 9 sunk below the bottom of the adjacent pressure-tanks with which they communicate througl pipes 10, and are provided at their lower ends with ou [let-pipes 11, through which the tail-water escapes back into the stream. The flow of water through pipes 42 and 5 is controlled by gate-valves l2 and 13, respectively. Each well has a cover to prevent the water overflowing therefrom and hence there will be no loss of power from this cause. [is the level of the water in the pressure-tanks fluctuates to a certain degree with the rise and. fall of the stream, the air in the domes of said tanks is compressed at times to a considerable degree'and thereby subjects the same to an intense strain, so in order to prevent rup of-the tanks I provide each with a so .c y-valve, comprising a sliding-valve plug 14 normally closing the outlet to a waste-pipe 15, a valve plug 16 connected to plug it by a stem 17, a lever 18 pivotally-conuected to the upper end of the stem 17 andfulcrul'ned to a bracket 19. andv provided with a counter-weight 20 whereby the valve is normally held in closed position. IV hen the the tanks becomes sulliciently great it will raise plugs 16 against the. action of the Counter-weights 20 and open communication with the waste-pipes 15, through which'the ater escapes until the pressure" withinthe i into the pressure-tank, which, however, be-

tanks is reduced to normal. By thus automg rovided with the safety-valve is guardmatically controlling the pressure in the tanks, a steady flow to the turbines is ined rom any undue pressure which might sured, and the same will be "driven at conarise from the water attaining an abnormal stant speed. Wells 9 are provided wlth manheight therein. Should the apparatus at forced through the by-passes.

water to the pressure-tank 7, where it di.

-provided for the transmission ocated at the stations between pipes 4 and the greater portion of the flow to the turholes 21, through which access may be had to the interior thereof for the purpose of repairing the turbines when necessary. They are also closed at their upper ends so that the water cannot escape without first passing through the turbines.

As it is desirable to maintain the turbines at a predetermined height above the level of the adjacent portion of the stream, I fix each turbine upon a vertical shaft 22, slidably mounted at its upper portion in a gearwheel 23 and journaledat its lower portion in a basket 24 adjustably-engaged by a: pair of oppositely-disposed screws 25, journaled at their upper ends in the top of the well casin and provided with fixed sprocket wheels 26, connected by an endless sprocketchain 27 so that the screws may be turned in unison to raise or lower the basket by properly 'manipulating a hand-wheel 28. The upper portion of the basket has a marginal flange 29 fitting snugly within the welleasing to prevent the escape of water beone of thestations get out of order, said station may be cut off for repairs without int'erferin with the other stations b closing its va v'es 12 and 13. By normal y con-' fining all the water except that which 'escapes through pipes 11 and the lower terminal of the conduit, it is obvious that the force of the water tance from the intake 2, and hence each succeeding station will develop more power than the preceding one-accordin to its distance below a'horizontal .plane (indicated by dotted line (1) extending through said. intake.

In Fig. GI have shown an enlarged view 'of station C which is a duplicate of station B, except that I substitute an over-shot wheel 8 for the turbine 8, and drive said nozzle 10 leading from the bottom of pressure-tank, and controlled by a valve 32. Wheel 8 is mounted upon a shaft 22, journaled-in a casing 9, having a waste-pipe 11 through which the water is discharged from said casing after acting upon the wheel.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is 1. In a system of the character described, a conduit for conductin water from an upper to a lower point 0 a stream, a pressure-tank communicating with said conduit, a powerwheel adapted to be driven by the discharge of water from said pressure-tank, and a well in which the power wheel is mounted said well being below the pressuretank an having an outlet in its lower end through which the water is discharged.

2." In a system of the character described, a conduit for conducting upperto a lower point of a stream, a pres- 'sure-tank communicating with said conduit, a power wheel adapted to be driven by the discharge of water from said pressure-tank, a well in which the power wheel is mounted, said well being below the pressure-tank and having an outlet in its lower end through which the water is discharged, and means for adjusting said power whc'el vertically within the well.

3. In a system of the character described, a conduit for conductin water from an upper to a lower point 0 a stream, a pressure-tank communicating with said conduit, a power wheel adapted to be driven by the tween 1t and said casing. hear-wheel 23' is of power from the turbine and is revented from aft 22 to which moving vertically with the s it is connected by the customary groove-andfeather not shown, by a bearing 30 fixed to pipe 10 and en aging the opposite sides of the gear-wheel Iiu a When the water in the stream is at low stage, it may become necessary to direct all the water in the conduit through the'bypasses 12 and c to acton the turbines, so I rovide said conduit with gate-valves 81,-

5. By'closing said valves the water will be Assuming that the stream is at its normal stage, the operation at each station is substantially as follows: Valve 12 is opened sufficiently to admit the desired volume of vides, a portion flowing to the turbine 8, and the remainder returning to the conduit through. pipe 5, the flow through said pipe being regulated by the valve 13 which may be partly closed when it is desired to deflect bine. Valve 13 is closed when it'is desired to direct allthe flow to the turbine, which latter is lowered so that additional fall of the water before striking .the turbine will compensate for the comparatively small discharge of water from said pressure-tank, flow thereto. \Vnen the stream isat high a well in which the power wheel is ,Anountstage, the turbine is adjusted upwardly the l ed, saidwell being below the pressure-tank proper level above the ad acent surface of and having an outlet in its lower end the stream, and valve 12 1S partly close to 1 through which the water is discharged, 0, prevent the water from. rushing too rap l shaft on. winch the power wheel 15 fixed, a

will increase with its dis-,

over-shot wheel by a 1st discharged from a v the basket in which sald shaft is journaled,

and means for adjusting said basket vera power wheel adapted to be driven by the discharge of water from said pressure-tank, a well in which the power wheel is mounted, said well being below the pressure-tank and having an outletin its lower end through which the water is discharged, a shaft on which the ower wheel is fixed, a basket in whichsai shaft is journaled, oppositelydispo'se'd screws for adjusting said basket vertically, and gearing for turning said screws in unison.

5. In a system of the character described,

a conduit for conducting water "from an upper to a lower point of a stream, a series of pressure-tanks arranged above the adjacent portions of the conduit but below its in take end, by-passes communicating. with the conduit and said pressnre-tanks whereby a portion of the water is carried back to the conduit, outlets through which the remainder of the water flows from the pressure-- tanks, wells below the pressure-tanks and communicating with the outlets thereof, said Wells having outlets in their -lower ends, and

power wheels within said wells.

6. In a system of the character described, a conduit for conducting water from an upper to a lower point of a stream, a series of pressure-tanks arranged at intervals along said conduit and above the adjacent-portions thereof, a by-pass communicating with each pressure-tank and the conduit, a valve on the conduit between the terminals of each by-pass, valves at each side of the pressuretank for controlling the flow of water to and from the by-pass, a well sunk to a level belowthe pressure-tank and communicating with the dlscharge opening therefrom, said well having an outlet in its lower end, and a turbine in said well.

-1'; In a system of the character described, a'pressure-tank arranged above the adjacent portion of a stream but having communication wlth said stream at a higher level than the lower portion of the tank, a waste-pipe leading from said tank, a safetyvalvecontrolled by the pressure in the tank for opening and closing communication to said waste-pipe, a discharge-pipe leading from the lower portion of the tank, and a power-wheel adapted to be driven by the water from said dischar e-pipe.

8. In a system of the c aracter described,

a pressure-tank arranged above the adjacent portion of the stream but having communication with said stream at a hi her level than the lower portion of the tan a well intowhich said pressure-tank discharges, said well being closed at its upper end and having a discharge outlet at its lower end, and a power-wheel mounted in said well.

I 9. In a system of the character described, a well having ingress and egress-openings at its ends for the inlet and outlet of water, a power-wheel arranged within said chamber, and means interposed between said powerwheel and the inner wall of the chamber whereby all of the water passing through said chamber is compelled to pass through the power-wheel. I

10. In a system of the character described, a chamber havin ingress and egress open.- ings at its ends tor the inlet and outlet of water, a vertically-adjustable power wheel arranged within said chamber, and means surrounding said power-wheel and slldlngly engaging the inner wall of the chamber to compel all of the water passing throu h said chamber to pass through the power-w eel.

11. In a system of the character described, a vertically-arranged chamber open at its upper end, a cover for closing said upper end provided with an inlet pipe for the admission of water, a discharge pi e leading from the lower end of the chamber, and a vertically-adjustable power wheel mounted within the chamber and adapted to be driven by the water passing thcrethrough.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

OOItNELIS F. A. noELn Witnesses F. G. FISCHER, M. Cox. 

